How delegates voted, county by county

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee captured the 18 West Virginia delegates up for grabs at the state's Republican convention on Tuesday, the first of many presidential contests on Super Tuesday.

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Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee speaks before the vote. Huckabee captured the 18 West Virginia delegates up for grabs at the state's Republican convention today.

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A candidate needed 50 percent of the ballots cast to get the 18 delegates to the Republican National Convention.

"The best scenario for the McCain campaign was to not have a Romney victory here today," said Gary Abernathy, a McCain supporter and former state Republican Party director.

The delegate switch didn't sit well with Romney supporters. "These are the juvenile actions of a morally bankrupt campaign," said John McCutcheon of the Phillips Group, which supported Romney's campaign in the state.

On the first ballot Tuesday morning, Romney was the leading vote getter, with 40.9 percent of the vote. Huckabee was second, with 33.1 percent. McCain had 15.5 percent, and longtime Texas Rep. Ron Paul had 10.4 percent.

Under the convention rules, the candidate with the fewest votes was knocked off the ballot, so that eliminated Paul.

Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, McCain's representative at the event, then conceded defeat and asked McCain boosters to support Huckabee on the second ballot in order to block Romney.

"The truth is, John didn't win, and John wants a strong organization," Roemer said.

McCain is seen as the national Republican front-runner, and Romney as his strongest competition.

Romney, Huckabee and Paul attended the West Virginia convention, held at the Charleston Civic Center.

The West Virginia GOP held the convention in an attempt to become more relevant in the selection of the Republican presidential candidate. Twelve of the state's 30 delegates to the national Republican convention will still be selected in the traditional May primary, when the presidential candidates for each party are usually already decided.

 How delegates voted, county by county

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee captured the 18 West Virginia delegates up for grabs at the state's Republican convention on Tuesday, the first of many presidential contests on Super Tuesday.

Huckabee won on the second ballot, after supporters of U.S. Sen. John McCain switched their votes to him. That gave Huckabee 567 votes to 521 for former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney on the second ballot. McCain had 12 votes.

A candidate needed 50 percent of the ballots cast to get the 18 delegates to the Republican National Convention.

"The best scenario for the McCain campaign was to not have a Romney victory here today," said Gary Abernathy, a McCain supporter and former state Republican Party director.

The delegate switch didn't sit well with Romney supporters. "These are the juvenile actions of a morally bankrupt campaign," said John McCutcheon of the Phillips Group, which supported Romney's campaign in the state.

On the first ballot Tuesday morning, Romney was the leading vote getter, with 40.9 percent of the vote. Huckabee was second, with 33.1 percent. McCain had 15.5 percent, and longtime Texas Rep. Ron Paul had 10.4 percent.

Under the convention rules, the candidate with the fewest votes was knocked off the ballot, so that eliminated Paul.

Former Louisiana Gov. Buddy Roemer, McCain's representative at the event, then conceded defeat and asked McCain boosters to support Huckabee on the second ballot in order to block Romney.

"The truth is, John didn't win, and John wants a strong organization," Roemer said.

McCain is seen as the national Republican front-runner, and Romney as his strongest competition.

Romney, Huckabee and Paul attended the West Virginia convention, held at the Charleston Civic Center.

The West Virginia GOP held the convention in an attempt to become more relevant in the selection of the Republican presidential candidate. Twelve of the state's 30 delegates to the national Republican convention will still be selected in the traditional May primary, when the presidential candidates for each party are usually already decided.